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It was such a beautiful day I had to go for a walk and one I hadn't done before. I'd been up Ben More but never straight up. Driving from Edinburgh I didn't have a lot of time, so this seemed like the best option. Once I'd got the car parked off the road beside the sign for the hill, I quickly got ready and set off. Once over the style and on to the track up the hillside it is fairly easy going.
Loch Dochart by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
Cruach Ardain and cairn by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
On going through the gate, there was a worn path with the remnants of two cairns marking it out. I added a few more boulders. Do people knock these down or is it the weather?
Now it is straight up. It becomes wet and the path more difficult to follow, so there are boggy bits to get over but with decent boots not an issue, just a bit more energy. Glad I had dubbined mine. Stopped at a line going across the hill. Drink and photos. I know I'll get better ones at the top, but just in case.
Not much to see up the way, but know I've a lot to do. Hot work in the sun, hat on for my bald head, just trying my best to stay cool.
The going is a bit better and the path is clearer now because of it, nobody wandering about to avoid the water. Looking up Cuidhe Chrom is visible, but the top is a bit further back than that.It now feels like you are going backwards as more becomes visible the higher you go. Got to the remains of a dyke and another break. Still sunny and hardly any wind. Amazing.
Now there is a well worn path and it lasts all the way to the top. A typical munro path as it is covered in scree. Packed snow lies in the sheltered bits but they can be avoided till beyond Cuidhe Chrom where it is the path. So I walked above it and took a short cut to the top to avoid a large snow bank. Still put my spikes on before the top. Now it was exposed the wind appeared and I had to put a jacket and gloves to keep warm. Got to the top through foot deep snow to one of my favourite views.
Top with Stob Binnein by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
Munro panorama by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
Looking up Glen Dochart by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
After taking photos, dropped into a cleft just off the top to have my lunch out of the wind. Still cold, but the sun helped a bit. Couldn't sit down though as it was full of snow but still OK.
Trudged through the snow back over to the cairn and then made my way back down. Spikes off once clear of the snow. Back down to the bottom of the dyke, I took my coat off and put my gloves away.
Route to the top, path beside the dyke by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
With all the effort to get up, my legs were getting sore going back down. As it is unrelenting all the way back, I was really feeling it by the time I got back to the track and it felt like I was walking funny to try and ease the pain.
The climb from the car park by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
Really glad to get back to the car and to sit down. What a day though, perfect
Did some stretches before I drove back to Stirling to ease my legs.
